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England's skipper has warned that Steve Borthwick's side should steer clear of being intimidated by the All Blacks' legendary status if they hope to secure their maiden home triumph over the Kiwis in 13 years this Saturday.

Squad Boost Before Crucial Fixture

Steve Borthwick got a welcome lift with the versatile back recovering from injury and in contention for his first appearance since suffering an injury on British & Irish Lions tour, while Freddie Steward and Tom Roebuck were also named in the 37-man squad announced on Sunday night.

Recent Performances Differs with Past Struggles

The home side host the All Blacks after extending their unbeaten run to nine matches with a commanding 38-18 victory over Fiji, again pulling away in the closing stages. Their current form marks a dramatic shift from 12 months back, when the team endured multiple losses in seven outings, each by fine margins. A trio of these defeats came against New Zealand—two on the 2024 summer tour and a tight loss at home after George Ford missed two late kicks.

The All Blacks just defeated Scotland on Saturday to maintain aspirations of a clean sweep alive, and while the Springboks cemented their number one spot, George has hailed New Zealand as “perhaps the best side in the world.”

In the previous 11 meetings, the team's only victory over New Zealand came in the 2019 World Cup semi-final, and New Zealand remain unbeaten in the last five clashes at Twickenham.

The Captain's Insight on Facing the Kiwis

“What a lot of teams do is stand in admiration of New Zealand with their legacy and all their world-class players,” said former captain George. “It’s easy to do that. I have done it before. We’ve also got to be aware we’ll be back here at Allianz Stadium. It’s an honour to be playing here. We will do everything we can to win that game.

“You have to be at your best. New Zealand are arguably the strongest team in the world at the minute. They are a exceptionally skilled squad and they appear to step up a level when they come to Allianz Stadium. The important thing for us is is identify where we might have improved in the opening period last time. Additionally, have a defined strategy which can apply as much pressure as we are able to. By doing so, we’ll give ourselves a chance.

“We came under a bit of heat 12 months ago for not coming out on the right side of tight games and not finding a way to win. Now, we’re doing the complete reverse. By no means have we cracked it. But we’ve placed a strong focus on the final phases of games and finishing strongly. Notching multiple tries in the final segment of that game is a mark of a good team.”

Borthwick's View and Squad Adjustments

Borthwick is likely to make a number of changes to his lineup, with skipper Maro Itoje, Tom Curry, and Ford all set to return to the first XV. The wing and Immanuel Feyi-Waboso each suffered issues against the Islanders but both have been selected in the group preparing to face New Zealand.

“We want to test our mettle against the top sides and [New Zealand] are one of those best teams,” said the head coach. “Our team is youthful, we’re developing, I think we’re growing rapidly and we’re eager to learn. So I’m sure the upcoming will be a valuable test for us.”

Earl's Take on Growth

The number eight, in addition, thinks that the team's present capacity to pull clear in the dying minutes of matches is largely due to their triple close losses by New Zealand last year. “You feel seasoned, you feel like you’ve been through battles, you’ve got the experience to learn from those losses, and they stung at the time,” said Earl, who was awarded player of the game against the Fijians. “But I wonder among the squad in the dressing room, would we have changed our path now, with the success that we’re sometimes experiencing? I’d be interested to know because I think they’re extremely valuable lessons.”